Greetings Beloved Kin,

The sky will offer a beautiful view tonight of Venus and Mars next to the Moon. Starwalk is one of my favorite Apps. When I first studied astronomy in Tucson, we had to figure out “what it is” from a star map of surrounding constellations (that was 2006). Now, all you have to do is aim your phone to a star.

love, in lak’ech,
Debra
PS. HAPPY GLOBAL BURNER DAY! This is a good day to toss your worries in a fire and let it go for good! The sacred fires are burning in the Maya lands today with prayers for the whole. When you create an experience for the Intention, your subconscious records it as the truth.

Below is Skywalk Astronomical News for June 2023 AND another attraction worth seeing near Route 66.  

 

June 2023: What Planet is Next to the Moon? (News 06/19/2023)

Starwalk Astronomical News: June 19, 2023

In June 2023, the Moon meets Saturn, Venus, and Mars in the sky. Learn what planet is closest to the Moon from this article.
From June 19 to June 25, the Moon will visit the constellations Gemini, Cancer, and Leo. This week, the planets Venus (mag -4.6) and Mars (mag 1.7) will be the brightest dots near the Moon. The most prominent stars near our natural satellite will be Pollux (mag 1.2) from Gemini and Regulus (mag 1.4) from Leo. As the New Moon occurred last week, the lunar crescent will be thin and hard to observe. To make sure what celestial object you’re looking at, use the Sky Tonight app. Now let’s take a closer look at the planets near the Moon this month.

June events
June 22: Moon near Venus
On June 22, 2023, at 00:47 GMT (June 21, 08:47 p.m. EDT), the Moon and Venus will share the same right ascension in the constellation Cancer. The distance between them will equal 3°41′. The waxing crescent Moon will be 16% illuminated; Venus will have a magnitude of -4.4. You can observe the conjunction with a pair of binoculars or the naked eye.

June 22: Moon near Mars
On June 22, at 10:09 GMT (6:09 a.m. EDT), the Moon will meet Mars in the constellation Leo. Our natural satellite will pass 3°47′ away from the planet. The Moon will be 19% illuminated, so you’ll see a thin lunar crescent. Mars, at magnitude 1.7, will be relatively faint but visible to the naked eye. Look for them in the evening, just after sunset.

Don’t worry if you miss the exact time or date. They will be a little further away, and harder to see as the Moon gets brighter. Skywalk offers extensive instructions and defines some astronomy lingo in the rest of the article.

How to spot planets next to the Moon?
Here are some things to keep in mind for successful observations.

1. You may miss the exact time of conjunction or closest approach, but don’t worry! Even before or after the exact moment of the event, the objects will stay relatively close together, and that’s just as worth observing.
2. Depending on the angular distance between the objects, some events should be seen with a telescope and some with binoculars. In general, a good 10×50 binocular will give you a 6-7° field of view; for telescopes, this figure varies — it could be less than 1°. You can calculate the field of view of your optics yourself. And, of course, you can also observe an event with the naked eye.
3. When the Moon is close to its full phase, it outshines fainter objects. For example, you won’t be able to see Mercury near a Full Moon because the planet isn’t prominent enough. Only the brightest objects, such as Venus or Jupiter, can be seen.
4. A bright object near the Moon can be a star or a planet. You can tell the difference by checking if the object twinkles. If it does, then it’s a star; if not, it’s a planet. Also, Jupiter and Venus (sometimes Mars and Saturn, too) are way brighter than most stars. You can tell the planets apart by their colors:

• Mercury is gray or brownish;
• Venus is pale yellow;
• Mars is pale pink or bright red;
• Jupiter is orange;
• Saturn is gold.

ARIZONA – MAJOR ASTRONOMY ATTRACTIONS NEAR ROUTE 66 

Arizona is a major “dark skies” location. In Tucson, there were city ordinances about excessive street lights. It makes the roads harder to see at night, but it’s worth it. Astronomers from all over the world connect remotely to the views. Tucson is about an hour south of Route 66, but if you’re into  astronomy you won’t regret the side trip. Plus, a lot of “snowbirds” congregate there, so there are TONS of cheap eats at great restaurants.

Arizona is an “aquatic desert,” once the bottom of the sea, so the land formations are extraordinary. If you travel in Summer, siesta breaks are necessary, and be wary of metal hand rails and car door handles. When I was there, 110F was a common temp for noon. (But 97 at 10PM is a comfortable outdoor temperature in the “dry heat.” One cool thing is you can store boxes in the shed without worrying they will be mildewed.) I didn’t expect to love the desert so much.

Restaurants have later hours in the summer. People go out to eat at 9:00PM and after, when it cools off to the 90’s. And, you GOTTA find a place that serves Mexican Breakfast!!!

Before you go, contact the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for info on “star party” events throughout the state.

You don’t have to own a telescope. Professional astronomers from the University who attend the events love to share views through their BIG equipment. New Moons offer spectacular views of the Milky Way, without the need for a telescope. There are special instructions for dimming your headlights when entering/exiting a “dark site.”

If you have some extra cash to spend, a TAAA member will bring a scope to your PERSONAL star party location. You could make it a family event! 🙂

The TAAA hosts a free star party every June at the Grand Canyon. As many as 50,000 people pass by for a look through their scopes. (I don’t think COVID is an issue outside in Arizona.)

GRAND CANYON STAR PARTY – JUNE 2023

The Grand Canyon Star Party (GCSP) is held on the South Rim in northern Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park in June every year around the time of the new moon. All amateur astronomers (must register using below information to attend) and the interested public of all ages are invited (no registration required)! Bring your telescope and enjoy the camaraderie. But you don’t have to have a telescope to come and enjoy the beautiful Arizona night skies. You DO need to reserve a room or campsite and make your travel arrangements early. See Accommodation Information for details. A visit to the breathtaking Grand Canyon is an unforgettable and fabulous vacation for families, singles, and seniors. Add a week of dark Arizona skies, lots of friends, fun, and astronomy education, and you have a recipe for perfection!

The TAAA has it’s own dark site for local star parties. Another major astronomy destination nearby is the Mt. Lemon Sky Center, a gorgeous 30 minute drive from town with stops for awesome views. You can rent time on the observatory scope. Kitt Peak National Observatory is south about 55 miles from Tucson. The night time view of the Milky Way is something worthy of a bucket list.

The Mars Phoenix Mission Operations Center is located in Tucson. The Center used a mockup of the rover and landing area to navigate on Mars!

Arizona was my favorite of all living destinations. Tucson was a place that turned my life around, in a good way. It was the beginning of a long climb that was worth every step.

Phoenix, AZ is the nightlife city. Tucson, AZ is for the laid back crowd that’s happy just staring at the sky. The GLOBAL BURNER DAY must be reminding me of the “dry heat.”

burning love, in lak’ech, 🙂
Debra

 

 

 

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THE TRECENA OF ROAD/EB: A Sacred Journey of Time
MAYAN CALENDAR DAYKEEPER’S JOURNAL
3 Jaguar/IX (eesh), Cherokee Eagle/UWO’HATLI, Destiny Kin 95
June 22, 2023 (06/22/2023)

4 Eagle/MEN (Cherokee, Eagle/UWO’HATLI) – Day 4 of 13 of the 1 Road/EB Trecena

Descriptions by Ian Xel Lungold, 12 Sun/AHAU,  from MayanMajix.com

Galactic Tone 4: Stability; the cube is most stable of all forms and establishes volume by definition of height, length, depth and breadth; 4 directions establish orientation. The energy of 4 sets the parameters, which establish the freedoms and barriers needed to create a game, work, or relationship.

Eagle/MEN: Intermediary between Heaven and Earth. Due to the Eagles superior point of view and keen intelligence, they achieve material abundance and good fortune. A messenger gifted with patience and a deep sense of value, Eagle brings hope and trust on the wings of Spirit. Eagle persons are very detail oriented and technically inclined. Compassionate service to others sustains prosperity for Eagle personas as the flapping of wings would sustain their bird brothers. If Eagle becomes viciously competitive or possessive, greed and jealousy cause a fall from the heights. Eagles, being blessed with freedom of movement, should be aware of escapism. Eagles may be tempted to just fly away from troubles by using indulgences.

A GOOD DAY TO: Ascend to a Higher Perspective

Cherokee, Eagle/UWO’HATLI:  Symbol is Mars the Spirit Warrior. He is a minion of Grandfather Moon. Eagles were the warrior society, the braves the protectors of the nation.Women were included. There was no discrimination which is reflected in the language: third person singular is divided into animate, human and animate, not human instead of he and she.  The energy of high hopes and anticipations, dreams and visions,cosmic consciousness and commitment.  On earth a provider of excellence, leader, husbandry, care-taking of others, financial security and inheritance. Totem-Eagle. Powerful energy for success in worldly affairs, due to far seeing  vision.  Ability to create masses of money and abundance through an intellectual type of profession.  Eagle asks for what he desires and manifests it.  Professor, lawyer, teacher, leader.

[Text in italics was the primary source of inspiration for my journal. These are the sources that started my journey and they are the reference for interpretation each day. By providing the original text, I hope to offer a way to see what inspired my thoughts and by including all the aspects – allow for something more to inspire you. Mayan descriptions are those written by Ian Lungold. Cherokee descriptions came from multiple sources. Links to sources and other resources of study are offered on the Daykeeper Resources Page. ~Debra]